Fishing requires tools for many different tasks including gripping and cutting objects, and fishing exposes tools to harsh conditions such as salt water and dirt. Fishing pliers, in particular, normally include a pair of gripping jaws that are used for many common fishing tasks such as gripping and bending fish hooks, rigging tackle, removing fish hooks from fish, and adjusting fishing lures and jigs, for example. The surfaces of the gripping jaws of many existing fishing pliers are not well adapted to all tasks, and also have a limited useful life and wear out requiring the replacement of the fishing pliers. The gripping surfaces can also rust due to exposure to salt water, for example, again requiring the replacement of the fishing pliers.
Fishing also requires cutters for cutting monofilament fishing line for example. While primarily intended to cut monofilament, however, the cutters are often abused for use in cutting wire or hooks, a practice which leads to rapid dulling of the blades and often cause notches to be formed in the blades such that when attempting to use the cutters for their intended purpose, namely cutting monofilament, the blade become ineffective. In addition, scissor-type cutting jaws normally only produce a compressive cutting force which requires a large squeezing force, making a difficult cut and tending to further dull the cutting blades. Moreover, the harsh environment usually associated with fishing tends to degrade the cutting edges. Many of these drawbacks are found in cutters used for purposes other than fishing, as well.
Fishing pliers and cutters are usually provided as separate tools. There is a need for both improved pliers and improved cutters, and for combining them into a convenient, well-performing tool.